Tuxedo Mask and the Phases of the Moon Princess
by Serafina Sky
Summary: In a time when Tux and Moon defend the streets of Tokyo as a superhero duo, their discovery of the Moon Princess triggers irreversible changes to their relationship. "Moon, wait two god-damned seconds and I'll be there," yelled Tux into the communicator. "And be reduced to sharing the glory with your sorry ass? Get real Prom King."
1. Chapter 1

**Summary**: In a time when Tux and Moon defend the streets of Tokyo as a superhero duo, the discovery of the Moon Princess triggers irreversible changes to their relationship. What do you do when you can't look at your friend the same way anymore?

**Author's Notes: **I've always thought the idea of Tux and Moon fighting crime on their own for a while, sans Sailor Scouts, would make for an interesting story premise. Enjoy and please, read and review!

**Rating: M **- as a caution, profanity and some adult situations will come up later. If you are uncomfortable with that kind of language or content, please refrain from reading anymore.

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**Chapter One: New Moon  
**_In South American, New Moon is the phase when we see the moon's first visible crescent._

* * *

"Moon, wait two god-damned seconds and I'll be there," yelled Tux into the communicator.

"And be reduced to sharing the glory with your sorry ass? Get real Prom King, I'll have this thing dusted before you can get your silly little hat on."

He hated it when she ragged on his costume - as if he had gone through a catalogue and personally chosen his lame ass formal wear. Through gritted teeth, he retorted, "Just try to stay alive till I get there, Moon." And with that, he shut his communicator closed and continued running.

Ever since they had discovered Moon was the Princess, she had become arrogant and reckless. Without the Prince to awaken her remaining memories, their stockpiled rainbow crystals remained uselessly separate.

A loud bang jarred him from his reverie. Instinctively, he tossed a rose at a flash of green to his right before leaping on top of Moon at his left, attempting to shield her from the oncoming orb. Bracing himself for pain, he relaxed when he felt a sprinkling of green dust tickle the back of his neck instead. Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Mask and a green, leafy bush monster named Gardenia stared as they stood equidistant from a rose and green dust pile.

With a quiet, even voice, Tux whispered, "Moon, finish him now."

Sailor Moon shot him her usual, grim face before reaching for her tiara. Tux would never admit it, but he had always admired the way she looked prior to dusting. Her reluctance to take any life, combined with a set determination to do what was right anyways, transformed her into an ethereal warrior.

"Earth to Suit Boy, can you cut it out? We're done here," Moon announced while absentmindedly dusting leaves off her tiny skirt.

Tux's eyes went hard. "You could have gotten yourself killed. Again."

Moon shot him a careless smile, "You worry too much. I knew you'd come in the nick of time. You always do," she said flatteringly, batting her eyelashes for effect. Despite his struggle to stay angry, he could feel his eyes soften. Stepping flush against his chest, she whispered, "Why don't you let me show you my appreciation, hmmm?" He closed his eyes and allowed himself to bask in the feeling of her warm lips on his neck for a moment before calling on every moral fibre of his being to extract her from his body. Though she frowned, she was still beautiful.

"You know we can't, Moon."

"My supposed soul mate Prince can go fuck himself, I want to fuck you," she retorted, frustration clear in her eyes and voice. The day they had discovered she was the Princess had been difficult. In a duel for the rainbow crystals, high atop Crystal Tower, Tux was mortally injured and steeling himself for Malachite's final blow. He remembered her cry and her moon mark flashing with a light that transformed her suit into a long, flowing, white dress and moon diadem. The rainbow crystals had floated from the holding box and pulsed above her. Her eyes had shot open and stared back at him with new understanding and maturity. He had known then that he was no longer looking at his Moon.

* * *

It was a cloudy, Monday morning as Darien strolled towards Juuban High. He wore a Juuban, oxford shirt, the embroidered 4 on his sleeve marking him as a senior. Caught up in a mental replay of the Gardenia battle of last night, he was ignorant of the blonde projectile approaching him until he was nearly knocked over from their impact.

In front of him lay a petite, golden-haired freshman who looked extremely peeved.

Immediately, he proffered his hand. Blue eyes glaring up at him, the girl slapped away his hand and got up on her own.

"I don't need some prince to come save me, just watch where you're going next time."

"I don't remember volunteering to be anyone's prince, Your Highness," he retorted. "And anyways, I'm the victim here – who do you think you are?"

Absentmindedly dusting leaves off her Juuban, pleated, blue skirt, "Serena Tsukino, but Your Highness works too," she replied with a grin.

"I thought you said you didn't need a prince to save you."

"And I maintain that. I'm a modern day princess." With laughing eyes now, she turned on her heel and broke into a run toward the high school entrance. "Later, loser."

Darien stood stunned as he watched her run at breakneck speed through the main gates and into their school. Seconds later, the school bell rang, breaking him out of his reverie.

"Damn," he cursed and called on some of his inner Tux power to help him speed towards homeroom. Despite being late, the memory of the Tsukino girl's striking blue eyes lingered in his thoughts.

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**Author's Notes: **Some of the most fun you have as an author is purposely leaving things out of your explanations so that readers are lured into reading more of your story. Write a review and let me know the questions that have surfaced after reading Chapter One! I may or may not choose to answer them in the next chapter! Til next time! –Serafina Sky


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Notes: **Thanks to everyone who gave me feedback, Kurinju-sama, MiszLadyLove, Littlebug21, mali86, PoisonIvy89, Romyna.Z and LoveInTheBattlefield. To answer some of your specific questions...

**Romyna.Z – **in the last chapter, it is mentioned that, "Ever since they had discovered Moon was the Princess, she had become arrogant and reckless," ... "Her eyes had shot open and stared back at him with new understanding and maturity." Serena's character may not be what you're used to because she has been Sailor Moon under different circumstances, without a team of Sailor Scouts to depend on and defend her. I imagined this Sailor Moon might have grown up faster than our familiar Sailor Moon out of sheer necessity. Also, a lot of changes have happened, including memories and a former Moon Princess personality that is at war with her Earth-born ones. Thank you so much for your comment! Let me know if you still have questions

**Caution: Adult (M) situations ahead. **I have starred (*) the beginning of the three paragraphs with graphic scenes, so if you're squeamish or conservative just skip over that part. You won't lose any major plotlines by skipping ahead. For those who like that sort of thing, enjoy! Please don't complain about them in the reviews, as I have given fair, due warning in advance as well as provided an easy way to identify then skip that part.

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**Chapter 2: Waxing Crescent Moon.**

"So how's that other life, Tux? You still a hopelessly boring academic?" Moon asked. She lay back, resting on her elbows as she regarded him through bored, hooded eyes. The pair was perched atop Juuban High School after Moon received a tip from Crown Arcade's Central Control of unusually high levels of dark energy. While stakeouts were good in theory, they were boring in reality. Restless, Moon resorted to her usual prying.

Tux let out a sigh. After deciding to work together, they had agreed not to reveal their secret identities. If one of them was captured by the enemy, information about their partner's civilian identity would be something the Nega-creeps could extract and exploit. If they had been a bigger team - both had had whispered memories of being part of something bigger - maybe they could risk it. As it stood, it had always been just the two of them.

Despite their agreement, Moon continued to pry from time to time. Having a tall, dark and mysteriously handsome man for your super hero partner would make any girl curious. Month of late night stakeouts and all she has extracted was that he was a loner and intellectual with no girlfriend or prospects. Tonight, the usually private Tux decided to throw her a bone.

"I met this girl today."

"Oh?" She endeavoured to sound nonchalant. Inside, the Moon Princess raged at the mention of another girl. However, it was rare Tux decided to share tidbits of information. She waited.

"She was really rude to me, but there was something about her – her eyes, mostly, that have haunted my dreams the way I used to dream about the Moon Princess." He gave a small smile.

Moon's eyes narrowed.

"You talk about the Moon Princess as if we're two separate people."

He turned to look at her with earnest eyes.

"Moon, I'm sorry – it's just that you used to be mine, you know? You were my partner, my best friend. And now, Central Control's got us on this mission to find the reincarnated Earth Prince and I have to come to terms with the fact that you can't be mine anymo-"

Moon was suddenly on top of him, pressing her lips to his and muffling what he had left to say. ******He felt her hands deftly unbutton his suit and dress shirt, running her hands up his chest. Groaning a surrender into their kiss, Tux followed his hands up her legs, cupping her ass hard before continuing up her suit and sliding the sleeves off her shoulders, exposing her breasts to the cold, night air. With his thumb and forefinger he felt her nipples immediately pebble. He rolled and squeezed them with his battle worn digits. He broke their kiss and filled his mouth with her breast instead, licking her areola before clamping down on it and suckling hard. He looked up at her through half-lidded, dark eyes and revelled in the look of pure ecstasy on her face.

**Moving his hands down between her legs, he rubbed her damp panties against her wet pussy. She whimpered at the delicious friction and strained against his hand for more.

**"Naughty, naughty Princess," he taunted wickedly whilst he shoved her panties to the side and slide a finger into her. At her breathless request, he jammed two, then three fingers into her tight pussy. Meanwhile, Moon was wantonly moaning and squeezing her breasts.

Distantly, he wondered if the Moon Princess of the past had been as innocent as Central Control's history books suggested. At the memory, a scene from his Moon Princess dreams flashed back at him, "Help me find my Prince, Tuxedo Mask. Help me find my one true love." At this, he shoved Moon away from him and sat up, tortured and repentant. Reverently, he slid her hastily scrunched sleeves up and over her shoulders. He took a step back.

"I'm sorry. I forgot my place, Princess," he said stiffly.

"Tux, don't be like that – poor man, you know I started it. It just pisses me off when you mention my stupid Earth Prince. Screw Destiny!" She announced loudly.

"Moon, you know as well as I do that we can't fight Destiny."

They stared at one another in a blue eye standoff.

"Now come on," he instructed, taking her hand and walking them to the edge of the high school rooftop.

"Where are you taking me?"

"To the football field."

"Tux, you never struck me as one with the "fuck the cheerleader behind the bleachers" fantasy," she teased. "Luckily I have my disguise pen. Do you want the tight sweater-skirt cheerleader outfit or the sleeveless, v-necked one?"

He rolled his eyes, "I know you saw that flash of red light too. Let's go fight some youma – I have some serious frustration to release."

* * *

"Why so glum, chum?"

Darien looked up from his coffee and gave a half-hearted scowl to his friend Andrew. Andrew wore a smile, red apron and white shirt with sleeves hastily rolled above his elbows. "Andrew, how many times do we have to go over this? We're not friends. I'm a loner. Loners, by definition, do not have friends."

Andrew grinned, "Someone's in a really bad mood. What is it? School?"

Darien shook his head.

"Work?"

Head shake.

"Girls?"

There was an infinitesimal pause before Darien brought himself to shake his head. If it had been anyone else but Andrew, they would have taken Darien at his word. However, Andrew had learned to detect even the smallest gestures from his friend. He pounced.

"What? I thought you and your secret girlfriend were doing great. You said the sex was great, she was gorgeous, kind, intelligent - you were talking about a marriage material kind of girlfriend!"

Darien glared.

"Oh Darien – was she – was she an imaginary girlfriend?" he teased, brown eyes dancing. He stopped mid-chuckle when he realized the pure misery reflected on his friend's face.

"What happened, Shields?" Andrew seriously doubted Darien had cheated. In all his years of knowing Darien, he had never known him to commit to a serious, monogamous relationship – until mystery girl, of course. This girl was the one for Darien, and he was confident that Darien had not been the one to fuck it up.

"Did she... did she cheat on you?" he asked reluctantly.

"No."

"Then what is it?" he demanded. Darien-angst was infuriating at times.

Darien chose his words carefully. "She... she's sort of meant for another guy."

"What, you mean like an arranged marriage?" Andrew asked, confused. "Darien, you'd make model take-home boyfriend – you're on for pre-med programs next year, you have a job, you're attractive, you're a good guy! What parent would not want you as his or her future son-in-law?"

Darien's mouth twisted into a bitter smile. "As much as I appreciate your glowing appraisal of me, trust me when I say that this guy trumps me. It's been arranged since before they were even born, and this guy's... royalty," he finished with a flourish. _Fucking Earth Prince, _he cursed to himself privately.

"No fucking way – a prince? Who? On that note, who the hell have you been dating? Is that why you've been all hush-hush about her real identity; is she some kind of royalty too?"

"You could say that."

"Man, I'm sorry. You know what you need to do – you need to cheer up and distract yourself with someone new, someone fresh and bubbly and – Hey Serena!" Andrew called, waving to a petite blond girl with matching bun pigtails atop her head. Unbeknownst to Darien, Andrew was very pointedly looking to her, then to him, communicating that the slumped raven-haired man in front of him needed some serious cheering up.

"Hey loser!" She exclaimed cheerfully, taking a seat beside Darien. She ignored the fact that he failed to acknowledge her greeting. "It's your lucky day – I'm going to let you take me out on a date tonight, and we can start by having you pay for my milkshake."

Darien lifted his head to that, slightly annoyed and slightly intrigued. "You don't have a milkshake," he pointed out.

Serena smiled charmingly and then turned to Andrew. "Andrew, my friend, I'll need a triple chocolate milkshake and the paper with tonight's movie times for Tokyo Cinemas." Andrew mouthed an emphatic, "Thank You!" to her before turning away to call out her order. If anyone could cheer up Darien the Grouch, it would be Serena. He prayed silently that Darien would not comment about her hair and that she would not lose her temper with him. He really thought the two would make a cute couple.

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**Author Notes: **Questions? Comments? Please ask them because it really helps me understand gaps in the plot or character development which I can address later in the story, or in a revision of the chapter. Let me know what you think! –Serafina Sky


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Notes:**Thanks to EmeraldFire09, TropicalRemix, LIttlebug21, LoveInTheBattlefield, MiszLadyLove, shantie1984, Beloved1, Litalove, Romyna.Z and terralune for dropping me reviews and feedback! To address some of your questions:

**EmeraldFire09**: I hope I can answer your question more clearly in the coming chapters with my characterization!

**Romyna.Z:** Thank you for the reflective feedback, I love it! It's fun/difficult trying to juggle the two relationships, but I hope what results is an interesting plot and story.

**Terralune: **Thank you for taking the time to read over the first chapter a few times to give my story a chance! My biggest vice as an author is my impatience, so I often jump to a new scene and take it for granted that the readers will just follow along. Your review reminds me to take it slower, and I have taken that to heart for these next two chapters.

I love all the predictions! I plan to throw in some curve balls though to keep you guys on your toes! Muhahaha! And now... an extra long chapter for you all! :D

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**Chapter 3: First Quarter Moon**

Darien slumped low into his seat. Beside him, Serena Soundtrack had loudly laughed, cursed and was now weeping at the state of Allie and Noah's relationship. How he found himself sitting through two hours of The Notebook, what he imagined may be the most ridiculous chick flick of all time, he couldn't say. How he found himself on a date at all, with a freshman no less, he didn't know. The last sensible thought he had had was when he planned to refuse Serena. Mesmerized by her pleading, cerulean eyes, he had found himself agreeing instead.

"Serena! These characters are not real. They are fictional roles played by actors who are paid money to perform convincingly. For the love of Christ, please stop crying!" he pleaded in an urgent whisper.

Serena's loud wailing slowly reduced to heaving and then small whimpers. "I-I (hiccup) kn-know! I-I (hiccup) l-like getting in-(hic)-to the movie and crying. It's c-ca-cathartic!"

Darien rolled his eyes, "Serena, what problems could you possibly have to accumulate all this pent up emotion?" The girl was fifteen, had a home and family, and from what he remembered had a solid group of girlfriends at school.

He was startled when she turned to face him and said, very gravely, "You'd be surprised." Intrigued, he opened his mouth to respond. In a moment though, her face lit up again, distracted, "Ooooh! I think they're going to kiss. Shut up!" The Notebook once again had her undivided attention.

Exiting the movie theatre, Darien found himself not wanting it to end. Looking up at the clear, night sky, he was struck with a thought.

"Hey Serena, did you want to take a drive with me? I know a great spot to check out the stars."

He was not prepared for the ear-splitting scream that would follow.

"Darien. Shields." She punctuated each part of his name with a surprisingly strong poke to his chest. "I don't know who you think I am, but I am not that kind of girl! And anyways, it's late and he'll be expecting me for our stake–" she trailed here, eyes widening in panic.

"Do you have another date slotted in after me, Tsukino?" he joked.

"Uh – no, I was talking about – about my dad! We have this weekly tradition of making steak for a midnight snack, and if I'm late, he worries." Darien bit back a laugh. The girl looked so pleased with her preposterous story. She was lying, he could tell, but he decided to drop it.

"Serena, I meant to take you to the observatory. I'm a member of the Juuban Astronomical Society and I have a key to the giant telescope there."

There was a long pause that followed before she mustered a response.

"Oh." Her voice was meek and embarrassed.

"And actually, I'm offended you would think I would take you to some lookout in the woods, with the intent to ravish you on a first date!" He studied her face closely. "If anything, that's date number two material," he quipped, grinning.

She motioned to smack him, but he caught her hand and clasped it in his own instead. Leading her to his car, he said, "Come on, Serena – let me drive you home. I wouldn't want your steak to get cold."

* * *

"Hey Professor Izumi, you called? What is it that just couldn't wait another minute?" he asked, smiling affectionately at the elderly, white-haired man. The professor was positioned at the giant telescope in the middle of the dome shaped observatory.

"Ah! Darien! Come in, come in!" he urged, his spotted hand shaking as he motioned him to come closer. "I know you have a particular interest in the moon, and I have quite astounding findings to show you. First, take a look at the moon – go on, child, and tell me what you see."

Darien approached and took his eye to the ocular lens. He had always loved astronomy, but as his relationship with Sailor Moon developed, his interest in the Moon had increased exponentially. He told himself it was mainly for mission intelligence, but there was something eloquently beautiful about the Moon that reminded him of its namesake Sailor soldier. "It's as beautiful and breathtaking as usual, Professor. Aside from a crisper image, I don't see anything unusual."

The old man's smile broadened. "Ah, take a look at the distance reading."

"300 000 km... Professor, that can't be right. Even at its closest position in its elliptical orbit, the Moon has always been 357 000 km away from us."

"That's right, Darien. This is an unprecedented distance between the two! My boy, my calculations over the past month show the Moon has been steadily moving closer to the Earth."

Darien couldn't see, but rather felt, his face go ash grey.

"My boy, my boy! You look like you've seen a ghost! I haven't even gotten to the best part yet. At the end of this lunar cycle, the moon will reach the apex of its abnormal, new orbit and will be so close to Earth it will fill almost half the sky!" Excitedly, he thrust his stack of calculations and drawings towards the stunned raven-haired man. "Nineteen days, Darien! Nineteen days and the Moon and Earth will be the closest they've ever been in the history of time! Now if I could only figure out the force behind these changes..." he trailed, rattling off a few theories. Darien did not hear them.

If possible, Darien felt himself turn even paler. His body was numb. He mustered an absent, "Thanks, Professor Izumi," before quickly exiting the observatory.

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**Author's Notes: **Double chapter update! Continue reading! :D


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Notes: **Just jump into it! Double chapter update, wooooo! :D

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Darien had never believed in hokey astrology signs and the significance of "Scorpio entering the House of Jupiter," kind-of-junk. However, even he couldn't ignore such a blatant sign.

Professor Izumi's voice echoed in his head, "Nineteen days and the Moon and Earth will be the closest they have ever been in the history of time!" The Earth Prince and the Moon Princess would be reunited in nineteen days.

The Earth Prince and the Moon Princess would be reunited in nineteen days.

"Heeeeeello, Earth to Tuxedo Mask! Or should I say, Moon to Tuxedo Mask? Haha, I crack myself up!"

Tux snapped back to reality. Sailor Moon had finally arrived to their patrol location for the night – Starlight Tower rooftop. Shamelessly, she guffawed at her own joke. Looking up at her from a reclined position in his lawn chair, he admired how the vantage point elongated her legs and gave her a graceful, regal quality. The fact he could see up her skirt was a bonus. Reaching up, he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her forward. Clumsily, she fell into his lap.

"Oops, sorry," she exclaimed, scrambling to get up. His arm held fast around her waist though, forcing her to shimmy more comfortably into him instead.

"You remember back when we started fighting the Negaverse? God, you were so clumsy that I wondered if you were the real deal." She punched his arm, offended. "But then, then I watched how your need to protect filled your eyes and dispersed all your fears. And for the five seconds it took for your tiara to move from your forehead to the youma, you were the most graceful, beautiful and deadly girl in the world to me."

"So what I got from that was you think I'm clumsy and that your turn-ons include tiara dusting. Tux, you sure that hat of yours isn't on too tight?"

Tux kissed her, slowly and sensually, overwhelmed by his frustration over a very wholesome date with Serena and his turmoil over the Moon omen. His hand creeped up her back and grasped the back of her head, pushing her closer to his face. With his other, he tenderly caressed her cheek.

"While this is very sweet, Moon brat, I'm afraid I will have to cut this touching moment short," a voice interrupted. Looking up, the pair met eyes with Zoicite and Malachite, hovering a few feet away from the tower's rooftop edge. Instantly, the two leapt to their feet and pivoted into a fighting stance, ready.

"What do you want?"

"Silly girl, why bother asking questions for which you know the answers? We want the rainbow crystals. You will hand over the rainbow crystals."

"Hmmm, what a convincing argument, let me think about that..." Sailor Moon mocked, "yeah... I don't think so. Why don't you just go burn in hell instead? Oh wait, isn't that where the bitch's lair is anyways – in a subterranean, dark exile surrounded by demons and the likes of you?"

Malachite's eyes narrowed. He threw up a deck of tarot cards in the air and snapped his fingers. Before they could fall to the ground, the cards coalesced into a beautiful, blue-skinned woman adorned with a purple, star-embroidered head scarf. Serena almost let out a sigh of relief. She stopped and watched in horror though as the youma turned its head 180 degrees and revealed a decrepit, deformed, old witch face on the other side.

The witch stared at Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon with its one good eye. In that glance, Tux and Moon felt naked to her probing gaze. The witch smiled disconcertingly.

"Ah, the ancient dilemma plagues these two, Master Malachite. Love or duty."

"Oh?" Malachite asked softly, intrigued. "Tell us, Tarotina."

As the youma whispered to Zoicite and Malachite, Zoicite started to laugh. First, it was barely a chuckle but then it escalated to full out hysterics – Zoicite was doubled over, trying to catch her breath.

Annoyed, Tux asked, "What?"

Zoicite brought her hand to Malachite's shoulder to steady herself. She took another moment to calm down before saying, "I just find your situation so hilarious, Tuxedo Mask." Her eyes glinted with malice. "You and Moon are so pityingly ignorant... the fact that you're so tortured over the Earth Prince amuses me."

"What do you know about the Earth Prince?" Moon and Tux asked in unison.

"Stop, Zoicite. It's not for us to interfere. Come, let us leave them to deal with Tarotina so that she may secure the rainbow crystals for us. Things shall come to pass on their own time," Malachite interjected sternly. Zoicite gave a sigh and disappeared in a flurry of flowers. Malachite followed.

Tuxedo and Sailor Moon looked to each other and then to Tarotina. So much for a stakeout night of canoodling.

* * *

Meanwhile, in another part of Japan, a slender, turquoise-haired woman walked out to her balcony and stared out at the Pacific Ocean, deep in thought. A taller woman followed, stopping behind her and resting her hands at the other woman's waist. She rested her chin atop the mass of green-blue hair.

"The tides are coming. They are coming faster and higher than ever. The moon pulls at them strongly."

The tall woman bent down to kiss the top of her head tenderly.

"Yes my love. The earth trembles as well."

"We must go soon." Aquamarine eyes stared up at her, regretful.

"Yes. As the moon approaches the Earth, so too must we rejoin and protect the Princess." The tall, sandy-haired woman took the other's hand, grinning, "But first, Michiru, let's go to bed. I know you get an appetite whenever the tides come in like this."

"Thank goodness you're here to satiate my thirst, lover. I would be a trembling mass of unsatisfied nerves if not for you." Michiru gave her a languid smirk.

"Always happy to help," the woman replied, lovingly rubbing the aquamarine pen nestled at Michiru's breast pocket. _It was good while it lasted, _she thought.

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**Author's Notes: **Double the update, double the fun! Please review and give me your feedback, it's so helpful to have your thoughts guide me and help me identify gaps in my story. All the best, Serafina Sky!


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